The Path of an Entrepreneur Series: The Beginning

Images of you at cocktail parties explaining your latest business venture? Ideas of you working in your home office in your pajamas? How about talking to some movers and shakers in your industry about a potential partnership? Or maybe you just think it’s a lot more hard work then it’s worth…

Any of the above could be true. Many more possibilities can be dreamed up too. And many realities include a person such as yourself owning their own business. The question is… “Could that be you?”

My first confession is that I have been a small time serial entrepreneur for awhile now. By small time I mean I have “experimented” with a number of enterprises while holding down part or full time jobs. I made a little money here and there but never turned a business idea into a full time income.

Currently I am what one might consider an “intrapreneur.” This term used to be more popular in the 80’s and 90’s, but has since lost any kind of recognition it once had. As an intrapreneur I am helping to develop a new territory in the company I currently work for that I will practically own like a franchise once it is all said and done. While not providing all the benefits of being a full entrepreneur, it certainly also leaves out all the downside risk as well.

It is a happy medium for me, and it keeps me going to work happy nearly every day. I know many of you can and do aspire to this sort of arrangement. Many of you aspire to eventually freelance or start your own company someday as well. Or even get into consulting. For anyone that fits into these groups this series is definitely for you.

If you are happy in your career and don’t aspire to entrepreneurship then I would ask you to simply read this series as food for thought or continue to some of my other posts that deal more with career and work advice.

The beginning…

This series will cover a lot and I recommend that you subscribe so you don’t miss out on anything. I will start talking about the inspiration that is the beginning of any entrepreneurial journey. And some of the things you have to think about before you even begin.

Next I will talk about the nuts & bolts of a business. How to put one together. What tools, techniques, and resources you will need.

Finally I want to do some case studies and interviews with some successful entrepreneurs. And show you what it looks like when you reach that five year mark and your business is as solid as ever.

This will of course take weeks and months to cover, and I do hope that you will all add to the conversation by commenting. It certainly helps us all to learn and grow when people choose to join the discussion.